U22 Vietnam exploded in the final minutes, 'breaking through' to the final
Like an action film, the tense semifinal between U22 Vietnam and U22 Philippines exploded in the final moments. With two goals scored by Văn Thuận and Thanh Nhàn, U22 Vietnam proudly moved on to the final, marking their third final in the last four SEA Games.
Once again, we must mention coach Kim Sang Sik, a genius of tight matches and a wizard of substitutions. The players who entered from the bench rewarded the Korean coach’s faith in the sweetest manner possible. U22 Vietnam went through one of the toughest matches of 2025 but also showed the undeniable strength of a Southeast Asian champion.
U22 Philippines tried every possible way to choke the game. In the first 45 minutes of the first half, they almost completely prevented U22 Vietnam from creating chances except for a shot at the 45th minute by Khuất Văn Khang after a personal break by Đình Bắc, but the ball went directly to the U22 Philippines goalkeeper. That was the first accurate shot by the red-shirted players, reflecting the stalemate due to U22 Philippines’ highly disciplined and focused play.
It felt like U22 Vietnam was facing an impenetrable wall. U22 Philippines deliberately gave up possession, only counterattacking when opportunities arose. This was expected, yet surprisingly, coach Kim Sang Sik chose a somewhat passive approach.
The 5-4-1 formation with Đình Bắc as the tallest player led to a rather slow start for U22 Vietnam. Placing Đình Bắc in the center was also why during the first 60 minutes, U22 Vietnam mainly attacked through the middle.
Coach Kim Sang Sik’s substitutions have always been a special weapon for U22 Vietnam. Photo: Tuấn Phạm
In fact, during the first half, there was not a single cross from either wing. Somehow, U22 Vietnam did not play to their strengths, and U22 Philippines’ strong defensive resilience gradually pushed the game into a deadlock.
But that was also when we saw coach Kim Sang Sik’s insight. At the 60th minute, he brought Thanh Nhàn on for Viktor Lê to "open up the left side" alongside Phi Hoàng and Đình Bắc. By the 75th minute, Văn Khang and Quốc Cường left the field, replaced by Thái Sơn and Văn Thuận.
U22 Vietnam pushed their formation higher and increased the pressure. Crosses from the left flank were repeatedly delivered into the penalty area. U22 Philippines’ defense could only jump to counter this attack for about 10 minutes, but as the match neared its end, their energy waned and more gaps appeared.
After Xuân Bắc, Minh Phúc had chances to shoot but failed to convert. Statistics show that in the second half alone, U22 Vietnam had as many as 8 shots on target. This pressure broke the spirit of U22 Philippines.
What was bound to happen eventually did. Again, two goals came from the left side with Đình Bắc involved, similar to the win against U22 Malaysia. First was a quick header like a bullet by Văn Thuận from a cross by Phi Hoàng in the 89th minute. Just two minutes later, confidence allowed Thanh Nhàn to score a direct free kick from the left side, sealing a 2-0 victory.
Once again, resilience spoke at the right moment, and U22 Vietnam convincingly advanced to the final, ready to compete for their third SEA Games gold since 2019.
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